Eric Garcia-Mendez talks to the Grand Island City Council Feb. 13 about the Grand Island Area Welcoming Initiative. (Carol Bryant, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND — Eric Garcia-Mendez of Heartland United Way gave a presentation to Grand Island’s City Council at the Tuesday, Feb. 13, meeting about a Welcoming initiative that United Way sponsors.
According to the Facebook page for the Grand Island Area Welcoming Initiative, the purpose of the initiative “is to convene a network of public and private organizations and community members dedicated to supporting Grand Island’s immigrant and refugee communities, while promoting a culture of welcoming and belonging for all.” Garcia-Mendez said the local initiative started in 2022.
He attended a Welcoming America conference in 2022 in Charlotte, N.C.
Garcia-Mendez gave examples of two communities with good Welcoming programs. Crete has the Community in Motion program. Columbus has the Centro Hispano program.
The local initiative will sponsor a Welcoming Week in September 2024. Garcia-Mendez said it would be helpful if the city could create a Welcome packet that could be distributed by groups such as the Grand Island Area Welcoming Initiative.
The group’s next meeting is from 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 16 at the Grand Island Community Foundation meeting room.
In a handout provided to City Council, it says, “Strong communities are ones that connect and include people of all backgrounds. By doing so, communities— and those who live there — will meet their highest civic, social, and economic potential. As local governments look to create more equitable and vibrant communities, welcoming and inclusive policies, programs, and practices will set themselves apart.“
The local group has sponsored various events, such as visiting businesses on Fourth Street and visiting downtown murals. The Grand Island Public Library hosted a multilingual storytelling event.
Included in the Council packet was a document titled “Becoming a Welcoming Community” and said it was a guide to achieving the certified Welcoming designation. Garcia-Mendez said Wednesday, Feb. 14, that the “Welcoming Community” designation is something for which local governmental units can apply. He said the local initiative wanted to provide information to the city of Grand Island about “Becoming a Welcoming Community.”
In the guide, it says, “Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. We believe that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors and vital to the success of our communities and shared future. Through the Welcoming Network, we work to help communities develop the roadmap they need to create welcoming policies and share new approaches to inclusion to create an environment where everyone can truly thrive.”
Garcia-Mendez showed a slide with numerous local business logos to show what local businesses are supporting the local initiative.
Council member Jack Sheard said he was impressed with the number of businesses represented on the slide.
Garcia-Mendez said, “We’d like to see more involvement from private businesses.”
Council member Mitch Nickerson said, “We have a long way to go to becoming as welcoming as we need to be.”
Council member Doug Lanfear said, “I do not want to see Grand Island get the reputation of being a sanctuary city.”
More information about the Grand Island Area Welcoming Initiative is available on its Facebook page, by calling the United Way office at 382-2675, or by emailing to info@heartlandunitedway.com.
